Revealed in production form earlier this year, the Red Bull RB17 is one of the most extreme hypercars ever conceived—just as you’d expect for a machine designed by Adrian Newey, who has designed winning Formula 1 cars for the likes of Williams and McLaren. The RB17, engineered to be even faster around a track than existing F1 cars, has just entered its final build phase. Rob Gray, RB17 technical director, also shared some of the exclusive design details about the car that will only see a 50-unit production run.
A Carbon-Fiber Masterpiece
Red Bull RB17 Red Bull Advanced Technologies
The Red Bull RB17 is being built in a former warehouse on the Red Bull estate in Milton Keys. The same site plays host to the new F1 wind tunnel for Red Bull Racing. Autocar had the opportunity to see the first near-complete passenger cell and tail section, while catching up with Gray at Red Bull’s headquarters.
For a car capable of completing a lap at Spa around a second faster than an F1 machine, its conception came about almost by chance. Gray said the RB17 is “something Adrian drew when he was bored one year over Christmas.”
It’s shaped up to be something much more serious since then. The 4.5-liter V10—developed by Cosworth—is paired with an electric motor. Combined, the system produces a staggering 1,200 horsepower, and that’s in a car that weighs around 1,984 pounds. Newey left Red Bull for Aston Martin in 2025, but continued to refine the car until the end of his tenure. One of those changes was a spine running down the engine cover, which directs exhaust gases to “blow” the bottom of the wing to increase downforce.
According to Gray, this spine was “Adrian Newey’s parting gift, because it was a relatively late addition, which he asked for shortly before leaving, and required much development to cope with the thermal challenges that it presented.”
How Much Does It Cost?
Red Bull Advanced Technologies
Each RB17 is expected to cost around £5 million, which works out to roughly $6.7 million. All 50 units have already been allocated, so the car has already proven to be successful. This level of performance and cost is occupied by only a few other exotics, such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, GMA T.50S, and Pagani Huayra R. But, with claimed lap times that eclipse even an F1 machine, the RB17 will likely stand alone once it arrives and its performance credentials can be verified.
Circuit testing and development sessions are set to start in a few weeks, with an official launch to take place sometime next spring. Although designed as a track-only car, hypercar modifier Lazante may produce a kit that will convert it for road use. This conversion could cost over $600,000 alone.
Newey continues to follow the RB17’s progress and will likely visit the factory to see it up close at some stage. When it arrives, expect the RB17 to rewrite the rulebook for hypercars.
